January 29th, it’s been a few weeks! It was yet another bitter cold but glorious day so I had to get up to Backwater reservoir and walk, see what might be seen.
It was great to get a few glimpses of Crossbills as I walked up, they the very reason I started walking here but I think the logging in the hillsides are keeping them away for now.
I did get to see Crossbills on the walk up.
The first two look like a female and the last one is definitely a young bird, still greyish coloured.
The light was just fabulous but it was absolutely freezing, holding the camera, even with my thin gloves on was hard work. The area I stopped for the panorama is also favoured by a flock of reed Buntings which flitted ahead of me for quite a way.
That looked to me like a young male bird, it is still showing yellow but also red coming through so, I assume it is still coming into its full colour? If anyone knows better, I’m more than happy to be corrected 🙂
One bird flitted off up the track ahead of me and landed, catching the light perfectly and despite all my sneakiness 🙂 flew off before I could get really close.
You may have noticed that I have started embedding shots from Flickr, I wouldn’t mind hearing any feedback on how that works for anyone who clicks to see more? (TIA)
I spotted another? young bird on a pine, not too far off.
I included the rear shot to let you see the young bird colouring.
It was nice to see a few Redpoll flit by, they don’t show very often.
It was when I decided to turn back that I came across a few Crossbills just off the path and I decided to try snucking up for closer shots, I’ve had some success in the past so ….
The bird was quite happy munching away on cones and I got right under him.
I’ve managed to get this close before but I couldn’t manoeuvre any more to get around the branches, still, I was happy to get these shots.
And I was on my way back anyway so, on to the car, the heater and home 🙂
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